Members of the 16-nation Pacific Islands Forum, meeting in Sydney, supported Australian and New Zealand plans to send a multinational force of police, troops and support staff to restore law and order to the island nation.

Forum chairman, Fiji Foreign Minister Kaliopate Tavola, said it had been an historic meeting.

"All the members have agreed to an intervention in the Solomon Islands," Mr Tavola told reporters.

He said it would primarily be a police exercise but with military backup. ");document.write("

advertisement

");
}
}
// -->

Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said he was delighted consensus had been reached and once a formal request was made by the Solomon Islands, it would be likely the force would enter the region towards the end of July.

"We're obviously delighted a consensus emerged here to support an intervention to relieve the Solomon Islands and help with the process of rebuilding."

Mr Downer said about half the nations at the forum had committed some form of support for the peacekeeping mission.